Final answer:
Aristotle's virtue ethics, which emphasize rationality and social relations, significantly influenced Aquinas's natural law ethics. Aquinas adapted these concepts within a Christian context, fusing philosophical thought with theological principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aristotle's influence on Thomas Aquinas's natural law ethics is evident in several respects:
- Aquinas integrates Aristotle's view of God as the prime mover into his Five Ways, particularly in the context of metaphysics.
- Aquinas adopts and Christianizes Aristotle's virtue ethics, emphasizing the role of virtuous habits in human flourishing.
- Both philosophers considered rationality and social relations essential for virtuous development.
Aquinas further developed these ideas by incorporating the Christian doctrine and aligning natural law with divine law, while Aristotle focused purely on human reasoning and flourishing. However, Aquinas agreed with Aristotle on the natural order and potentiality, which he believed was instilled by God.
In summary, by integrating Aristotle's concepts of virtue ethics, the role of rationality, and the significance of social relationships into his natural law ethics, Aquinas established a framework that aligned philosophical reasoning with Christian theology.